Ditching-machine.



PATBNTED JULY 23, 1907.-

J. 8. BLAGKIB. I DITGHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26. 1904. nmmwzn JUNE 6. 1907.

5 SHEETS-$111331 1.

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WITNESSES:

PATENTED JULY 3, 1907.

J. S. BLAGKIE.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26. 19041 RENEWED JUNE 6, 10 07. I

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No, 861,080. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

J. S. BLAGKIE.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 26. 1904. RENEWED JUNE e, 1907! 5 sums-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

mmvron u 0i Blaze/die ATTORNEYS 1M: NORRIS Ps'rsR's :0.. WASHINGTON. a c.

PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

J. s. BLAGKIB. DITOHING MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26. 1904. RENEWED JUNE 6, 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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I? z rag ATTORNEYS PATENTED JULY 23, 1 907.

. J. S. BLAGKIE.

DITGHI NG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26. 1904. RENEWED JUNE 6, 1907.

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WITNESSES: mums M IJbZZIZAS- BZQCIYZP ATTORNEYS rut NOR PITKRS cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STEPHEN BLAGKIE, OF CARSON CITY, NEVADA.

' DITGHING-MAGHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23,- 1907.

Application filed November 26, 1904, Serial No. 234,874. Renewed June 6, 1907. Serial No. 377,608.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN STEPHEN BLACKIE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of OarsonGity, in the county of Ormsby and State of Nevada, have invented a new and Improved Ditching-Machine,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in ditching machines, an object being to provide a ditcher that will rapidly handle the dirt, gravel, and other matter inthe excavating of ditches, and to so construct the machine that the width of the trench may be gradually diminished as the depth increases thus providing side walls or banks at any desired angle which will aid materially in preventing washing out or caving.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the general description.

I will describe a ditching machine embodying my invention, and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of a ditching machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 50-01; of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan of the front portion of the machine; Fig. 4 is a section on the line yy of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the part shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the rear portion of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main frame of the machine which may consist of angle iron or any other suitable material. Connected to the side members 1 of the frame and at desired places, are cross bars 2, and also extended longitudinally through the middle of the main frame is a bar 3. The frame is mounted at about its center on traction wheels 4, these traction wheels being attached to an axle 5 engaging in bearings 6 on the side members of the frame, and at the front of the frame is a steering wheel 7. This steering wheel has its axle bearings in a loop or yoke 8, provided at the top with a central pivot 9 engaging in a bearing in the bar 3.

Extended outward from the axle of the steering wheel are arms 10 with which the ends of a steering rope or chain 11 engage. This rope or chain passes around pulleys 12 mounted on the frame, and then passes to a connection with a winding shaft 13, the said winding shaft passing up above the frame of the machine, and being provided with a hand wheel 14.

The machine may be drawn along by any suitable means such as by draft animals, or by a traction engine, the draft cable being connected to a hook 15 at the front end of the main frame.

The plow beam comprises two oppositely extended members 16, which at their inner or meeting ends are pivotally connected together as indicated at 17, and supported on these members are the digging or plow points 18. Pivotally connected to the lower ends of the plow points 18 are brace rods 19, which extend at an upward and rearward angle and connect with a brace bar consisting of two sections 20, which are slotted as indicated at 21 to receive rods extended downward from the main frame, thus guiding the said brace bars during their movement, to be hereinafter described. The inner ends of the brace bar members are mounted to swing in a horizontal plane on a block 22, the said block being mounted to swing vertically through the medium of joint 22 on an adjusting screw 23, designed to regulate the width of cut of the machine,-as will be hereinafter mentioned.

To move the plow beams and the parts connected thereto vertically, a cable or rope 24 extends in opposite windings from a shaft 25 extended upward through the machine, and having a hand wheel 26. The chain or rope extends from the shaft 25 around horizontally disposed pulleys 27, thence around pulleys 28, vertically disposed on the side members of the main frame, and then to a connection with the brace bar, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5.

The screw 23 has bearings in hangers 29, 30 and at its rear end it is provided with a hand wheel 31, whereby said screw may be operated to move the plow beam and brace bar to normal position. Between the hanger 29, and another hanger 32, is a nut 33 engaging the thread of the screw. Engaging with the hub portions of the nut at opposite sides are metal strips 34, from which an actuating lever 35 extends upward. This actuating lever carries a pawl 36 for engaging with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 37, formed on the nut, so that by operating the lever 35 in one direction, the screw may be turned to draw the plow beam members and the brace bar in such manner as to diminish the width of operation of the machine.

Supported by means of hangers 38, mounted on the axle 5, is a main scraper 39 for scraping the dirt from the bottom of the ditch and depositing the same on an endless carrier 40. This main scraper 39 may be raised and lowered as desired by means of a rope or chain 41, engaging with a vertical shaft 42 having a hand wheel 43 at its upper end. This rope or chain 41 passes in opposite directions. over pulleys 44, supported on the main frame and connects with the side boards of the scraper 39, as clearly indicated in the drawings.

Extended forward from the side members of the scraper 39 and adapted to have lateral swinging motion with relation to the said scraper are side scrapers 45, which are designed to direct the dirt from the sides of the ditch to the scraper 39. These side scrapers 45 are pivoted to the side boards of the scraper 39, as indicated at 46, and they are held as adjusted toward or from each other by means of a holding bar 47 passed over the top of said side scrapers provided at each end with a series of perforations through any one of which the carrier passes around a drum 49, having shaft bear- 7 ings in hangers 50, on the scraper, and the upper portion engages over, a drum 51 supported on the rear portion of the main frame. Thisdrum 51 has its shaft hearings in standards 52, which are connected to a cross beam 53 supporting a transverse endless carrier 54 designed I to discharge earth at either side of the ditch. This carrier 54 passesaround drums 55, 56 at the ends of the i cross beam 53. v

Mounted to move longitudinally on one end of the shaft of the drum 51 but designed to rotate therewith,

is a bevel gear 57, designed to be placed 'in operative connection with a bevel gear 58 on the shaft of which is a pulley 59 in which a band 60 extends to adriving connection with a drum for thecarrier 54. The'opposite end of the shaft for the drum 51 is also provided with 1 a driving connection with the other of said drums for 1 the carrier 54. As clearly indicated in 6, the band 60 engages with pulleys 61 on the said drums for the} carrier 54. Obviously by throwing one gear 57 into mesh with its companion gear and detaching the-gears of the other end, the carrier 54 will be moved to discharge the'dirt at one side of the ditch and by reversing the gear connections, it will be operated to discharge at the opposite side of the ditch. The cross beam 53 is attached at its center to a vertical screw shaft '62,-

which engages in a tapped opening in a block 63 sup- *ported at the rear end of the mainframe, and the screw shaft is provided with hand levers'64. By 'Inanipulating the screw shaft it is obvious that the transverse endless carrier and the upper end of the main carrier may I be raised or lowered, as desired. This raising or lowering,or rather turning of the screw shaft, is permitted withoutturning the cross beam because of a swivel con:

nection between the screw shaft and a yoke 65 attached to the under side of the cross beam.

By the arrangement above described, it will be seen that the transverse carrier 54 is operated from a movement of the main carrier 40. This main carrier is'op- 'erated by an engine 66 mounted on the main frame, and from a pulley 67 on the shaft of which a band 68 'extends to a pulley 69 on the shaft of the drum 51.

The operation may be stated as follows: In starting the ditch the plow beam members and the brace bar members are adjusted through the medium of. the screw as before mentioned, to the desired width of the ditch at the top. If the full width for which the machine is constructed is desired, said parts are to be'moved laterally outward or in straight lines across'theni'achine, as

fore returning from one end of the ditchto the other to make the next cut in depth, the inner ends of the plow beams are to be drawn rearward so that the members of said beams converge rearwardly thus lessening the width'of cut and this is continued upon the back and forth movements of the machine until the ditch is cut 'to the proper depth.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A ditching machine compri 'ng a wheel mounted frame, a plow carrying beam supported by the frame and consisting of sections pivotally connected at their inner ends, and means for changing the angle of said members to regulate the width of cut. v

2. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mouhted frame, a plow carrying beam consisting of two sections pivotally connected at their meeting ends, a brace bar rearward of the beam and consisting of two pivot-ally con nectedse c tions, plow points extended downward from the beam, brace rods extended from said plow points to the brace bar, and means for changing the angle of the beam and bar members transversely of the machine.

3. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, -a"plow beam consisting of two sections pivotally connected together, plow points extended downward from said sections, a brace bar rearward of the beam and consist'ing of two pivotally connected sections, brace rods extended from said bar to pivotal connection with the lower portions of the plow points, a screw with which the sec tions of the brace bar have swinging connection, a nut engaging said screw and held from longitudinal movement thereon, a ratchet wheel on said nut, an actuating lever, and a pawl carried by the lever for engaging with said ratchet wheel. I v

4. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, ground breaking or digging devices carried by said frame, a bottom scraper arranged rearward of said devices, and side scrapers having lateral swinging motion with relation to the said bottom scraper.

5. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, a plow carrying beam consisting of two 'pivot'ally connected sections, a screw 'mechanism for swinging said sections to change their angle with relation to each other, a bottom scraper, side scrapers having lateral swinging motion with relation to the bottom scraper, means for holdingsaid side scrapers as adjusted with relation togeach other, and an endless carrier for receiving material from the bottom scraper, the said endless carrier being extended rearward and upward.

6. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, a plow point carrying beam consisting of two pivotally connected sections, plow points extended downward from the sections of said beam, a brace bar consisting of two pivotally connected sections, brace rods extended from said bar to the lower portions of the plow points, a block with which'the brace bar members have swingingconnection on a horizontal plane, a screw. on which the said means for the parts having connection with the plow points.

7. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, digging devices supported thereby, a bottom scraper rearward of the digging devices and havingswinging connection with the wheel axle of the machinameans for raising and lowering the said scraper, side scrapers mounted to swing laterally with relation to the said bottom scraper, means for holding said side scrapers as adjusted with relation to each other, an endless carrier extended at an upward and rearward angle from the outlet end of said bottom scraper, and a transverse carrier for receiving material from the first named carrier.

8. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, digging devices supported by said frame, a bottom scraper supported by the frame, an endless carrier extended rearward from'said scraper at an upward inclination, a motor on the machine for driving said carrier,'a

transverse carrier for receiving material from the first named carrier, and means for driving the transverse carrier from the first named carrier in either direction.

9. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, digging devices carried by the frame, a bottom scraper carried by the frame, an endless carrier extended from said scraper rearward at an upward angle, a cross beam, a roller supported by the cross beam and with which said carrier engages, means for rotating the roller, a trans- 10 verse carrier supported on said beam, driving connections specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 15

JOHN STEPHEN BLACKIE.

Witnesses:

THOMAS J. TENNANT, G. H. PETERS. 

